Mistake
by Dragon Star Queen
Summary: Kallen was angry at herself for never being able to match up with Suzaku. No matter how long she was with Gino, he would never stop telling her of all the good times he had with the former knight. GinoKallen GinoSuzaku Spoilers for the end of the series.


The breeze filtered through the trees of the villa teasing Zero's cape into a dance in mid-air as he pushed Nunnally across the garden. They were heading to a get together that Nunnally had been working on in secret for the past month. Unable to see the face behind the mask, she reached behind her to touch his gloved hand.

"Zero, I really hope you enjoy today," even though she couldn't see it, she could feel the soft smile hidden behind the mask.

"I'd enjoy anything you'd want to do for me, Your Majesty,"

She giggled, placing her hand back in her lap, "Oh, Zero, stop being so formal, today is for fun."

In the center of the villa there was a covered patio, half a basketball court in length but twice as wide. It was decorated in vibrant ribbons, balloons, and flowers, the colors ranging from soft lavender to a loud maroon. There were tables with seating for four gathered around a large standing area for mingling or dancing if it was what you preferred.

The guests were all grouped underneath the tent. Most of the people Zero did not recognize, and some may have been a little familiar. When his gaze locked on one certain group of people he stopped in his tracks. Nunnally turned around in her chair to look at Zero.

"What's wrong, Zero?"

"Nunnally, why?"

"It's quite simple really, Zero," she sat forward again, using the controls on her chair to move it herself. Zero followed behind her slowly, "you deserve it."

Milly, Rivalz, and Nina were off to the side laughing about something as Lloyd and Cecile approached. Lloyd commented on something to Milly, which warranted disciplinary actions from Cecile. Zero looked away from them his heart dropping into his stomach.

Across the patio Ohgi was standing behind Villetta, who was seated with their toddler son on her lap. Tohdoh and Chiba were at the table with them as well. The last chair was occupied by Gino, Kallen sitting comfortably on his lap.

Nunnally followed Zero's eye line, "aw, look at those lovebirds!" she all but squealed with delight.

Zero picked up his pace, walking passed the empress, going straight for the table of his former friends, turned new friends under the alias of Zero. When he was a few meters away from the table, Kallen's cheeks flushed red as she quickly stood from Gino's lap. Her eyes fell behind her bangs, as she smiled softly at him. Zero nodded at her before his attention turned to Gino, whose hands were on Kallen's hips trying to get her to sit back down, but she wouldn't.

"Lord Weinberg, may I speak with you for a moment?" Zero asked from behind the mask.

The tall knight looked up at him, blinking slowly, "uh, yeah, sure," he stuttered before standing up and following the masked man away from the patio.

With her head still bowed Kallen began to walk in the opposite direction. Oghi called out to her, but she ignored him. A quiet buzz of a motor moved toward her. She looked up to see the young empress, and hastily scrubbed away her tears before they were seen.

Nunnally motioned for the red-head to bend down so she could whisper in her ear, "doesn't Suzaku deserve to be happy?"

Unchecked tears coursed down her hot cheeks, "don't I?"

Zero led Gino to an area of the villa so overgrown in rose bushes and shrubs that they even masked Gino's height from the other guests. Zero sighed heavily from inside the mask, in attempt to calm his nerves before he reached up to remove the mask.

As the panels on the mask were retracted the breeze caught the brunet locks, toying with them. He pulled down the scarf on his face, and opened his olive eyes to see very confused cerulean ones looking back.

Words had understandably left Gino, "Suza-- you're--" was all he could grab a hold of.

Suzaku closed his eyes, a smug smirk on his face, "I shouldn't be so surprised you had no idea, Gino," he said. What was surprising to him, however, was that Kallen hadn't even hinted about it to the younger man.

Tears welled in the blonde's eyes as a shaking hand went to touch Suzaku's face to make sure this was real, "you're alive," his voice could not sound more relaxed and relieved.

The older man smiled and removed his glove. He covered Gino's hand with his own, holding it in place. Too much time had passed since the last time he was touched by such a loving hand. The warmth he felt on his icy face was definitely missed, "don't start crying on me," he said smiling, but his own voice even wavered.

A nervous laugh escaped passed Gino's lips. He uselessly swiped his sleeve across his face. The tears were only replaced by more. His strong arms wrapped tightly around Suzaku, pulling him up off the ground into a tight embrace, "you're alive!" he repeated, realization and excitement setting in.

The feeling that was bubbling in the pit of the former Eleven's stomach took him off guard. Out of all the times in the past that Gino had hugged him, none of them could compare to how alive he felt now. Years had passed since the last time he had found himself in a Gino Weinberg Hug and it felt as if his chest would explode. The moment he wrapped his arms around the taller man, his feet were standing on solid ground again.

"Suzaku, that was the first time you've ever hugged me back," Gino stated, stepping back from him.

The former knight looked up at Gino, shocked expression on his face. Was he really that heartless all those years ago? "I'm sorry, Gino. I-" he stuttered as he apologized and looked for an explanation for his actions but Gino had cut him off by placing his finger in his lips.

Suzaku watched the younger knight's face twitch as he tried not to cry. He reached out with his bare hand to touch the side of Gino's face, as his fingers glided over his cheek they caught any fallen tears. Suzaku bit the tip of his other glove to remove it from his hand. He was suddenly determined to show Gino just how lonely he was without the cheerful Britannian- that he truly loves and missed him.

With his other hand, his fingers glided down the side of Gino's neck and across his exposed collarbone. Gino stood perfectly still as he watched Suzaku's serious expression. When the cerulean eyes met olive, all the pain seemed to melt off Suzaku's face. The man's face was flushed pink, eyes half lidded, as his hand slipped back up Gino's neck, knotting itself in the blond locks.

Gino leaned down, raising his own shaking hands to the sides of the new Zero's face. Their lips met with a force that surprised them both, before relaxing into the kiss. Gino pulled Suzaku's body as close as he could, one hand slipping into the brunet locks and the other pressed strong along his back to keep him close.

Kallen excused herself from the empress and began to walk around the back of the covered patio to avoid her party from seeing her like this. She followed the path Zero had leaded her fiancé down. She wanted desperately to be wrong.

As she walked down the path the shrubs appeared to grow wilder. There was far less upkeep in this end of the garden. When she was coming to the end of the path she heard the bushes next to her rustle and a muffled groan came from behind them. Startled, she jumped before it dawned on her.

She wasn't wrong.

Kallen was far out of earshot from the party, farther masked by the music, so it didn't matter how much she yelled, "Suzaku, you filthy liar, you told me you only wanted to talk to him!" tears were already blinding her as she moved into the small area the shrubs concealed.

Panicked, Suzaku stood up quickly, pulling the violet pants up with him. He began to hurriedly button his shirt before realizing it was too late and stopped, "Kallen, I-" he couldn't explain himself, so he looked away from the angry eyes.

Gino stood up, buckling his belt as he did so. He stood between his enraged fiancée, and his best friend. He didn't know what to do, either way he was going to lose a person that he cared about, "Kallen, it's not what it looks like," he tried.

Her hand connected squarely with the side of his face, "don't fucking lie to me, too, Gino. I know what I saw."

"He's telling the truth, I had no intention to-" Suzaku promised.

Kallen wasn't going to have any of it, "Shut up, Suzaku!" she moved around Gino to try to at least slap him as well but Gino grabbed her wrist keeping her in front of him, "let go of me!" she yelled thrashing side to side trying to break free but he was just a little bit stronger. She wailed, tired from tears and anger and collapsed against his chest.

"I won't let you hurt him for something that isn't his fault," Gino said in all seriousness.

"This is exactly why I never told you," she cried, half heartedly punching Gino's bare chest, "I knew this would happen, you two used to be so close," she trailed off angry at herself for never being able to match up with Suzaku. No matter how long she was with Gino, he would never stop telling her of all the good times he had with the former knight. She only agreed to this after Gino has proposed to her, thinking he was finally over Suzaku, but she was wrong.

"You knew he was Zero?" Gino asked. He took a step back and propped her body up so he could look at her face.

A cold smirk slid across her face, "I knew from the moment he first showed up, you idiot," she said smugly ripping her arms out of Gino's grip. She turned around on her heel, facing away from the men that betrayed her, in attempt to hide her pain, "I am sorry I interrupted you two," she hissed bitterly before walking back to the patio.

"Kallen!" Gino called out, but wouldn't move to chase after her. When he turned back around to face Suzaku to see he was already completely dressed save for the mask, "Suzaku," he moved to touch Suzaku's face but he moved away.

"Go after her, Gino," Suzaku ordered, his guilt making it hard for him to see and breathe.

"But-" the taller man went to protest but was silenced by Suzaku shaking his head.

"No, Gino, you love a dead man. Go after Kallen," he said flatly. His face held no emotion, and memories of their time in the Knights of the Round were flooding back to Gino.

"You're not dead, you're right here, Suzaku!" Gino argued, tears beginning to blind him. Desperately, Gino grabbed a hold of Suzaku's shoulders, if he didn't let go, he wouldn't lose him.

Suzaku knocked Gino's arms away; he took a step closer to him. In one hand he held the mask, and with the other he touched the side of Gino's face. The leather glove was uncomfortable to the touch.

"Suzaku is dead, Lord Weinberg," Zero reminded him, "you cannot be with him."

Gino just stared at the man before him, his mouth a gap, "no," he murmured, "Suzaku is right here right in front of me."

"Kallen was right, this was a mistake," he leaned closer to the blonde's face, "goodbye, Gino," he whispered before kissing him one last time. Gino pulled Suzaku close to him once again, he wasn't ready to say goodbye. Zero pushed against Gino's shoulder to break the embrace.

Gino crumbled to Zero's feet. Tears flowed down his face uncontrollably. Zero squeezed his eyes shut, forcing his own tears to stop. He pulled the black scarf over his face and went to put on the mask and stopped. He looked at Gino one last time, "Lord Weinberg."

Gino looked up at him, his cheeks and eyes red from the tears, "what is it, _Zero_?" Gino asked; the name drenched in an all new hate.

"Suzaku does love you," he said before placing the mask on with no hesitation. He walked passed Gino and stopped once he was on the path again, "and he wants you to go back to Kallen."


End file.
